Little help with writing a story?

Question

Alright, I've written a lot of short stories in the last two years, this year I'm a junior. My stories are usually 8-10 pages, very intensive writing, and involve some king of creatures or war scene. Just for background info, I usually get 100% from English teachers, and this is honors english we have in regard here.
Alright, now the question and more description. I recently began writing a "novel", effectively, I'm writing down ideas all over the place, constantly inventing new plots for future chapters, and really can keep writing, but I can't write fast. I have to constantly think about the smaller things. Like I have 4-5 major events and 2-3 minor for the first chapter, but then writing down the small things is harder, understandable, but, anyway I can help myself in easing this out for me? Because I want to reach my plots badly, but I also realize I need to write a story, not dictate plots. Currently I have 8 pages written, and have barely breached one plot, 2 minors. I have to invent more minors I know. So this paragraph's question: How can I simplify things in writing interesting pages in between major and minor events?
Also, I'm using decent amount of dialogue, I find this also slows me down considerably, but I know people (my friends) and also online peers seem to enjoy reading more thought and dialogue intensive pages. Basically, I think I'm trying to use my short story skill to write a novel, and I see the two conflicting, the first 3 pages looks like someone completely different compared to the last 5. Question for this paragraph: Do I need to tone down the intensive and dialogue pages? If so, how do I?

Thanks for all peoples help! Will choose a best answer tomorrow, someone with honest advice.

Bob Leblaw · Accepted Answer

In these cases I like to write a guideline.  Of course it can change, but it keeps me on track.  I will do something like:

Clara gets ready for thanksgiving dinner and is excited to meet the new guests.
Clara has flashback to why her kids can't come this year & remembers lying to her friends about it.  Remembers having confusing conversation with one friend about what an "escort service" is.
Eugene is on way to Clara's house, he doesn't know her and thinks about this being his first professional "date."
Eugene meets Clara.  She doesn't know he is an escort.  He doesn't know she doesn't know.  He tries to act sexy.  She thinks he's wierd.
Plot thickens.
Etc.

And then when I have the guideline, I fill in the blanks.  But remember, nothing is in stone.  If the characters change while writing, just update your guideline.

Anonymous · Answer

Ok, i think the amount of pages does not matter. As long as a story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Never be in a hurry to develop a plot too, because this way the story pretty much skips the body and the rising action of the story.. So in order to simplify things, you make things a little more thought-provoking to read. For example. make a convergence, perhaps start over or start a new novel and start with 2 or more plots and characters and build on each one. Then make both of those characters converge in the story to spice things up. If you dont want to start over, ADD DETAIL! Describe whats around that character, let the reader feel, taste, smell, see, hear your story. For the second question, Never add too much dialogue, but never too little. If your story contains quotation marks every page, there is something wrong. Like I said before, add detail and build on the characters to it will hoook the reader more. But not too much of detail, and describe only what is neccessary, not 10 different things. I don't know if I answered what you needed, but hey, Im a writer too. trust me.

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Little help with writing a story?

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